Telescoping tower



y 1962 c. R. PARMENTER ETAL 3,047,107

TELESCOPING TOWER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 25, 1957 CHARLES R. PARMENTER ROBERT V. LAUSTRUP INVENTORS BY m AT%NEY S FIG-.1

y 1952 c. R. PARMENTER ETAL' 3,047,107

TELESCOPING TOWER Filed Nov. 25, 1957 v 3 s t s 2 CHARLES R? PARMENTER AND ROBERT V. LAUSTRUP INVENTORS ATTORNEYS July 31, 1962 C. R. PARMENTER ETAL TELESCOPING TOWER Filed Nov. 25, 1957 \S/J /ss 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 8

INVENTORS CHARLES R.PARMENTER ROBERT V. LAUSTRUP ATTORNEYS United States Patent G TELESCOPING TOWER Charles R. Parmenter, Belmont, and Robert V. Laustrup, Woodside, Califi, assignors to Alpar Manufacturing fCompany, Redwood City, Calif., a corporation of Callorma Filed Nov. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 698,561 6 Claims. {CL 189-14) This invention relates generally to telescoping towers, and more particularly to telescoping towers of the type in which the various sections can only be extended in fixed order.

Telescoping towers are often employed for survey work, for example, by television installers, public utility service companies, and government agencies, where it is necessary to place an antenna at various heights. In general, several men are required to guy a tower as it is erected for a survey. It is apparent that the greater the number of persons required, the greater the cost of a survey. The time and personnel required to erect a tower are of great importance where the tower is used to establish emergency communication, for example, for fire fighting, disaster situations and civil defense operations.

In our copending application entitled Telescoping Tower, Serial No. 511,568, filed May 27, 1955, now Patent No. 2,942,700 of which this application is a continuation-impart, there is described a telescoping tower in which a plurality of sections are releasably locked in their telescoped and extended positions. Suitable means is provided at the base of the tower for selectively releasing the locking means.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved telescoping tower.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a telescoping tower in which the sections can only be released from the outer sections inwardly.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved locking means which serves to lock at each of the vertical support members of the tower.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a telescoping tower in which each section may be guyed individually and secured as it is extended, allowing erection of the tower with less personnel and in adverse weather conditions.

These and other objects of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawmg.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view in perspective of a tower incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the lattice work employed in each tower section;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 -4 of FIGURE 2; 7

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view illustrating the lock release mechanism;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view showing the locking means;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7; and

FIGURE 8 is a simplified elevational view in perspective illustrating the lock release mechanism.

Generally, the tower comprises a plurality of tower sections adapted to be telescoped one within another. Suitable means are provided for extending the various sections. Locking means are carried at the top of each of the sections except the innermost to lock adjacent inner sections in telescoped and extended positions. Suitable means are provided at the base of the tower for releasing the locking means whereby the sections may be extended and telescoped. The means for releasing the locking means are so designed that it isimpossible to improperly extend the tower.

Referring generally-to FIGURE 1, a dish antenna 11 is shown supported by a tower designated generally by the reference numeral 12. The tower comprises a plurality of telescoping sections 13 (13a-d). These sections are designed to incorporate sound structural engineering principles. For example, the tower shown is triangular in section. The upright members 14, to be presently described in detail, are reinforced by a lattice work of cross members 15 and diagonal members 16. The members 15 and 16 may bemade of angle material which is flattened at the ends 17 and suitably secured to the upright members 14, as for example by welding (FIGURES 2 and 4). 1

The lattice work of cross members 15 and diagonal members 16 is not illustrated in FIGURE 1 since it would overly complicate the drawing and emasculate the invention. The vertical members 14 are extruded members of the type more clearly shown in section, FIGURE 3. The members 14 include an H-shaped center portion 21 with depending side portions 22. The portions 22 have an'included angle of for the triangular tower shown The vertical members '14 are continuously guided one Within the other by means of rollers 23 which may, for example, be nylon. The rollers 23 are mounted at the top of the vertical members facing inwardly 24 and at the or Windlass. A worm-type Windlass 32 is shown mounted on the bracket '33. The cable 34 engages the Windlass 32 and passes over a plurality of pulleys 36. By operating the Windlass, the cable serves to urge the various pulleys 36 together thereby raising the associated sections of tower. In a worm gear Windlass, the frictionbetween the gear which drives the drum and the worm drive prevents rotation of the drum when-the crank 35 is released.

At the top of each section with the exception of the innermost section, suitable locking means 41(4111-0) are provided (FIGURES 1, 6 and 8). The locking means 41 for each of the sections are identical, and, therefore,

the locking means for only one section will be described;

The locking means is more clearly illustrated in FIG- URES 5 and 6. The locking means comprisesflocking.

members 42 disposed at each of the corners of the tower section and carried'on the T-shaped cross members 43 secured to the top of each tower section. The members 42 are pivoted at 44 whereby they may be rotated into engagement with the next inner tower section, as will be presently described. adapted to be rotated by means of a crank 46 (FIG- URE 5) which engages one end of the link 47. The other end of the link 47 is pivotably attached 48 to the locking member 42. Thus, by counterclockwise rotation of the crank 46, the locking member 42 is pivoted outwardly. 'Links 49 and 51 have their ends pivotably engaged with adjacent locking members 42 as illustrated. Thus, when the one member 42 is rotated, the links 49 and 51 serve to pivot the other two locking members 42 outwardly out of engagement with the next inner adjacent tower section. The locking members 42 are urged into the locked position by means of a coil spring 52 attached between one of the members 42 and tl1e -sup-' I port 43, previously described. If desired, a spring may One of the members 42 is' wardly and engage one of the slots 56 or 57 (FIGURES 1 and 8) of the next. adjacent inner section. When in engagement with the slot 57, the adjacent tower section is locked in its extendedposition, while if the member 42 is in .engagement with the slot 56, the tower section is locked in its telescoped position.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 5, and 8, the means for roev tatingjthe cranks 46 to release the locking members at each of the tower sections 'is illustrated. The means for rotating the cranks 46 and thereby selectively unlocking V the members 42 is operable from the base of the tower. Means are provided to assure thatthe tower will be extended from the outer 'sectionsinwardly. A plurality of release levers designated generally by reference numerals 61 (61a-61c) are located at the base of the tower. The'lever 61a isconnected'to a cable 62 which has its other end connected to the crank arm 46a which is carried at the top of the tower. section 13a. Thus, by pulling the lever 61a downwardly, .the crank is rotated counterclockwise to release the locking member's 42a and allow the inner tower sections 13-b-13d to be extended.

The second tower section 13b is provided with a cable 63 which is spring loaded 64 at one end and. which has its-other end attached to the crank arm 46b. The cable 63 extends through the opening 67 (FIGURES) formed in the lever 68, which is attached to a shaft 69. A lever 71 is attached to the other end of the shaft. The lever 71 is moved by the lever 61b at the base of the tower through the cable 72. Therefore, by urging the lever 6112 downwardly, the levers 68 and 71 are urged downwardly. When the tower section 13b is in'its telescoped position, the stop 74 (FIGURE 5) which is near the bottom'of the tower section is away from the'lever 68. Therefore, by urging the lever 61b downwardly, the lever 68 does not move the cable 63. However, the stop 74 is so located that when the tower section 13b is locked in its extended position, the stop 74 is adjacent to the lower surface of thelever 68. In this condition, by urging the lever 61b" downwardly, the cable 63 is moved downwardly thereby rotating the crank 46b to release the locking-mechanism 41b which serves to hold the tower section 130. The tower section 13: may then be elevated.

Referring to FIGURE 8, locking and release of sec tion-13d is similar to that of 130, with-some minor variations. The section 13b carries a cable 76 which is spring loaded 77 and has a stop 78 which abuts against the;

lever-Q79 when the tower section'13b"is extended The other end of the cable 76 is attached to one of the lever arms of the lever assembly 81. The levers of the lever assembly 81 rotate in unison as previously described for the assembly comprising arms 68,71. The tower section 130 carries" a cable 83 which is spring-loaded 84 at one end and has its other end attached tothe crank arm 460 Thus, when the tower section 13c is 'extendedfand locked, an abutment 86 on the'cable 83 abuts against the'leveri 81. i ,At thi s'tinie,-pulling the lever 61c downward turns the lever 79, pulling the cable 76 downwardlyto pivot the lever 81 which engages the abutment 86-and pulls" the cable 83 downwardly torotate the crank arm 46cto' release locking means 411: and the tower section 13d,

It is noted that unless the next adjacent inner tower section is elevated, none of the other sections may be released. For example, assuming that the tower is col-' lapsed, then by pulling the lever 61b, the-tower section 130 will not be released since the arm 68 will not abut against the stop 74 (FIGURE 5) to release the associated lockingmechanism 41b. Similarly, for the section 13d, the abutments are not in the correct position.

Thus it is seen that it is impossible to elevate the tower except in the order of 13b, 13c, 13d, etc., that is, from the outermost section inwardly to the innermost section. a

The tower must be collapsed in reverse order. I

Thus it is seen that we have"provided an improved telescoping tower. Particularly, the tower includes novel 2 locking means which permit extending and telescoping the tower'sections in a fixed order, outer sections inwardly 7 to the innermost section. The tower sections are continuously guided as they are' moved one within the other. The locking means serves to lock each of the upright members thereby providing a rigid tower.

We claim; r

1. A telescoping tower comprising a plurality of sections adapted to be telescoped one within the other, lock ing means carried at the top of each of said sections with the exception of the'innermost section, said locking means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections in their telescoped and extended positions, and means operable at the 'base of thetower for 'selectively releasing said locking means, said last named means including means for preventing the release of thelocking means of the sections other thanthe next innermost telescoped section whereby the tower is extended from the outermost sections inwardly.

- 2. A'telescoping tower'comprising a first, second and at least a third'section adapted to telescope one within. the other, locking means carried at the top of each of: said sections with the exception ofthe innermost section,

said-locking means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections in their telescoped and extended positions, and

. means operable at the base of the tower for selectively releasing 'said locking means, said last named means in cluding means for preventing the unlocking of the third;

section until the secondsection has been extended.

3. A telescoping tower comprising first, second, third and atleast a fourth section adapted to telescope one within the other, locking means carried at the top of each of said sections with the exception of the'innermost section, said locking means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections in thetelescoped and extended positions, and

means operable at the base of the tower for selectively V releasing said locking means, said last named means including means for preventing the unlocking of the thirdand fourth sections until the second section has been extended, and for preventing the unlocking of the fourth section until the third section has been extended.

4. A telescoping tower comprising a plurality of sec tions adapted to be telescoped one within the other, each of said sections including threeupright spaced members, locking means carried at the top of each of said sections with the exception of the innermost section,'said locking 7 means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections 'at each of the upright members, and means operable at the base of the tower for selectively releasing said locking means, said last named means including means for preventing the unlocking of telescoped sections other than the'next innermost section whereby the tower is extended from the outermost sections inwardly.

5. A telescoping tower com-prising first, second, third and at least a fourth section adapted to betelescoped one within the other, each of said sections including three upright spaced members, locking means carried at the top of each of said sections with the exception of the innermost section, said locking means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections at each of the upright members, and means operable at the base of the tower tor selectively releasing said locking means, said last named means including means for preventing the unlocking of I the third and fourth sections until the second section has been extended and for preventing unlocking of the fourth section until the third section has been extended.

6. A telescoping tower comprising first, second, third I and at least a fourth section adapted to he telescoped one within the other, each of said sections including three upright spaced members, locking means carried at the top of each of said sections with the exception of the innermost section, said locking means adapted to lock adjacent inner sections at each of the upright members, and means operable at the base of the tower for selectively releasing said locking means, said last named means including means for preventing unlocking of the third and :fourth sections until the second section has been extended and for preventing unlocking of the fourth section until the third section has been extended, each of said upright members in section including an H shaped center portion with depending side portions having an included angle of 120, and means cooperating with said H shaped portions serving to guide each of th tower sections one within the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

